


Put Your Feet Up To the Edge

by Kittyinaz



Series: Set You Free Trilogy [2]
Category: True Blood, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-03-29 09:23:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3891052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittyinaz/pseuds/Kittyinaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Description: Bella goes to relax, and becomes involved in a southern girl’s life.  This brings a breath of free air to the lives of those that love Bella, and set some souls free.<br/>Disclosure: Twilight is owned by Stephanie Myers and True Blood is owned by HBO, Allan Ball and Charlaine Harris.  I own nothing.  Well nothing more than the dream which spawned this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/1-Edge.jpg)

**Pre Edit Count – 1,457 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)_ by Gary Allan

* * *

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Bella-SYF_edited-3.jpg)

Bella is sitting in the booth of the backwoods bar she has discovered. The waitress for her table seems like the typical blonde cheerleader – exactly her brother’s type, to be honest. She slowly nurses her whiskey while her mind goes back over the last couple of years…a very eventful last couple of years, at that.

The Revelation had gone as planned. Eric, naturally, had to leave the night before it was scheduled so he could prepare to take care of his Area. Since she needed so much blood, he would normally leave right before evening, handle his business, then return so that she could feed from him at midnight. The night of the Revelation, however, he had needed to be in his Area, but he had taken to the sky as soon as he could. By dawn he was feeding her while Godric still dealt as needed with the random issues in their Kingdom.

Everyone had been busy, quick to discipline as necessary to keep the peace. Before Eric had returned, she and Godric had discussed the possibility of taking Louisiana so that they could have their Eric with them all the time, but neither wanted to rock the boat too much. The need for Eric to remain in his Area had not diminished, and neither Peter nor anyone else could tell them why.

It wasn’t for lack of trying, however… Peter, especially, was upset with his talent for not showing him what he needed to know…

Then there had been the issue of her early change. It had been a lot to work with, her newborn hunger slightly worse than that of a normal vampire, but nowhere as bad as that of a Cold One. Jasper had figured out that it had to do with the changes the venom did to her DNA.

She had come out of the transformation looking even more like Eric than before. According to Emmett, she had already been slowly evolving, but they figured the turning had accelerated those changes, and now there is no mistaking that they were brother and sister. Neither she nor Eric complained. They enjoyed taking advantage of being brother and sister, and none could gainsay it.

She had worried at first that Godric wouldn’t like the changes, but once she was finished feeding from them that first time, he had laid a kiss upon her that took her breath away. He then moved them back to their home and proceeded to show her how much he appreciated that she was now like him. The only thing that made them stop were her feedings, and she thanked their goddess that Eric was not shy.

Emmett, however, had been a surprise. Eric, Jasper, and some other members of the nest had done a number on him, and until the day he died his True Death he would carry the scars of those sessions. But, as Bella had told him, he now visibly carried the invisible scars that were on her soul and heart. Since that time he had been more than loyal to them all, but especially to her, and Eric had commented that she seemed to draw the supernatural world to her.

The information Emmett had given them had been shocking – Edward had been the one who added some “surprises” to the Club’s design. Most were innocent, showing that he was thinking of ways to take her beforehand, but some would have been very nasty if they weren’t the  _changed_  beings that the three of them had become. Sunlight seemed to be Edward’s preferred way of killing them.

He probably liked the idea of her dying by something that she had commented once that she loved.

They had gone back over the blueprints and found every single alteration. For tactical reasons they left the visible changes visible, as with the window in the closet, but blocked threats from the inside. The rest of the tamperings were immediately disabled.

Emmett had been helpful in telling them what he knew. He had also finally given in to Eric so that they could try to catch the two, but once he saw that Bella was alive, he had totally broken down.

The story he told made it clear that he had been confused. He hadn’t blamed Eric since, as Eric stated, he hadn’t done right by her as her brother. She would never trust him as she did Jasper, Andrew, Peter and Charlotte, but he is now part of their nest, and a bouncer in the club as well. His strength is perfect for the job, and knowing the difference between the vampires and his kind make it even better.

He had been upset when Bella had told him that he had lost her trust, and had worked harder than anyone imagined to gain it back. He had been jealous of Eric’s relationship with her, and it had taken him a while to understand that Godric truly was Bella’s Mate…not to mention his reactions to the rest of the nest, especially Andrew who had no problem preening that Bella was  _his_  sister now. The Cold One hated how he had found out that he had been duped into helping cause his sister to be changed that night, into helping, to his eyes, to cause her to be slaved to Godric and Eric to save her life.

His questions about why things weren’t as he’d been told they were had made him decide not to take Bella to Edward and Alice right away. He had wanted answers. Too many things had not jibed with what he had been told about her being a blood slave. That pause is what Peter had said threw off everything. Emmett had been the game changer this time, but he would say nothing else on it from there.

When Emmett had told them everything he knew, agreed to never contact any Cullen again, and agreed to let them know if the Cullens ever contacted him, they gave him a chance. He had agreed, saying that the Cullens had lied to him.

They did, however, allow him to contact Rose, which proved to be the final nail in that coffin. She had told him to either come home, or never contact her again. That was the last day any of them saw him with gold eyes. The pain in his eyes lasted for a long time – his relationship with the woman he had considered a Mate was nothing like what he had seen between Bella and Godric.

Then he learned that they actually  _could_  survive on blood bags. This had shocked him because, when he had asked, Carlisle had told him that the additives in the blood would make them hungry and that it would therefore not work. Instead, he had been surprised by how the Dallas vampires had gotten their blood before the Revelation. They had a company that gathered blood that the blood banks got rid of. Whatever made it unusable by humans made no difference in vampires. In fact, it helped them to dispose of the blood in a useful way and everyone was happy.

Until after the revelation… Then the crackpots came out of the woodwork and made it so that the service providing the vampires with blood, the service that they had spent a lot of money showing to the humans, was not safe for the vampires. Now every single bag had to be tested. After people protested the vampires coming out, suddenly Hep D appeared, and it was lethal.

The new church that sprung up overnight made all of the vampires nervous, but none so much as the ones in Texas, and more specifically, Dallas. So many new safety steps had to be implemented, and from the information they are getting from the Weres that Bella had talked them into employing, there was need for those safety steps.

Godric and Bella were the main targets of the group. They had been very open about being a couple, and that they owned the popular club, Damhsa álainn. Plus there were signs that Godric and Bella were something big in the vampire world, and even worse, they were well liked by everyone.  This made them large targets, and their subjects were not happy with the church. They had to hold back Andrew when he found out that they were the primary and secondary targets. Finding out that  _Bella_  was the primary because she was female and her death would affect everyone more was what had sent the normally placid man into a rage. No one hurt  _his_  sister.

And then there was the whole Daywalker problem for the church. Neither of them did without anything including their ability to be active during the day. They had answered the question of them being Daywalkers, stating it was a genetic fluke in Eric’s family. Godric had gained it from being the Maker of both of them. Then they proceeded to make appearances in the daytime, not flaunting it, but making it an irrefutable fact.

The excuse was not precisely true, of course, but it worked well for them. They did what Eric suggested and made it public so that there could be no claims of them hiding it. Godric and Bella became the spokes-couple of the vampires, with Eric being with them the entire time. Nan Flanagan had been shuffled into a consultation role, or debate team as Bella called it. She had to debate things with the Fellowship of the Sun while they dealt with the more serious aspects of their reveal.

Everything was working well, and they were on the way to making humans more comfortable with them, when the Cold Ones started attacking humans in Europe. The Volturi were not happy that the vampires had come out. They sold it as animal attacks – instead of making the humans hate the vampires, they alerted the humans to the fact that something else was out there, especially when any vampire was asked gave samples of their teeth and blood. There was no love between the species, not even when Bella was attacked, and all the vampires knew how much work Godric and Bella had done to further peace between the species.

Bella sighs, then drains the drink in front of her. She looks up and meets the shifter’s eyes and he nods and begins making her another. He never says anything, but she knows  _he_  is aware of who she is. Everyone in the supe world knows of her oddness.

Right now, she is in this goddess-forsaken backwater bar. Godric can sense her location very well, as she can sense his. Therefore, when she left, she had to settle near her brother. It is the only reason her Mate isn’t right here guarding her as he always does. That, and he trusts Paul with her safety, and he knows that Eric would not allow anyone to harm his sister.

However, Eric has no clue she is here. He may sense that she is close, but he is more easy-going than Godric. He says it is because Godric is her Mate and that he had to kill her.  Her brother gives her space, but if he knew she was here without Godric, he would be angry, especially since she cannot feed without one of them. In fact, to be honest, she really shouldn’t be here since she is basically starving herself. The alcohol helps the craving for blood, but it does not sustain her. It simply fools her system somehow.

She normally would never have left her Mate; she truly loves him as no other. However, she had to leave because Godric was pressuring her to make a date for their pledging. She had been fine with it at first, but the fear her mother had put into her of marrying was resurfacing. She needed to leave to be able to think on it without anyone asking about it all the time. It was one of the biggest upcoming events, and it was as though the world itself was waiting on it to happen.

Bella had not minded being the face of vampires; it was said her fresh face along with Godric’s showed that vampires were not harmful. Nan Flanagan didn’t like it as the blonde vampire was supposed to have been “the face”, but people latched on to the two of them and the AVL used it. Bella had agreed, but had made sure that people knew her private life was exactly that, private. As she had thought earlier, there was nothing wrong with it, but then the news of his proposal leaked.

She had no idea the power of paps and people. When word had gotten out that Godric had proposed and that they were not going to marry as humans did, but as  _their_  race did, it had gone viral. It shocked the world to find out vampires really did have their own culture and that it had little to do with humans.

It had been a wakeup call, one that had ended up being important since it told the world that humans thinking they could control vampires by taking away their right to marry did absolutely nothing. After that a new set of advisors had sat down with vampires to work on treaties. They actually acknowledged that vampires were their own race and, although they resided in their countries, they were like the American Indians. And, as Bella had once quipped, vampires often were here before the humans.

That had turned the world upside down as it truly registered how old many of the vampires were. That, and the fact that Eric was King, and so was Godric, brought history to life for younger people in a way none had imagined. There was a new respect for those vampires willing to share their stories with people.

On the other side of the coin was that everyone wanted to be a part of Godric and Bella’s pledging, and they had no shame in asking for it.

So, in looking for an excuse to escape the madness, Bella had come to Louisiana because of a report she read from Peter and Charlotte’s spies. Her work had been easy so she had taken on more of the spying and other duties from Godric. This had given her the information that the Queen’s procurer had moved to a little-known town called Bon Temps.

Good Times…  Bella snorts.

Since she has been here, she can tell that all they had were red necks, but she had finally spotted Compton last night as he peeked into this bar. He never gave Bella a second glance, making her think he was not very knowledgeable. Since she is the face of vampires, she had been shocked that no one thought twice about her being here, but then, she has been gone for three weeks. News outlets are just now getting the idea that she was not in Dallas.

Currently she is here trying to figure out why her waitress has the interest of the Queen’s procurer, and watches as the vampire enters the building for the first time.

Show time.

* * *

**Final count:  2,552 words.**

**Fairfarren~**

****[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Signature-for-Edge.gif) ** **


	2. Chapter 1 Ripple Effect

 

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2-Edge.jpg)

**Pre Edit Count – 2,516 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Face Down_ by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

* * *

_Previously:_

_So she was here, trying to figure out why her waitress was the interest of the Queen’s procurer. Then she watched the man enter into the building for the first time. Show time._

_Now:_

* * *

Later that night Bella hovers in the air above the bar and watches the incompetent Compton be drained by the resident drainers. She had put in a call earlier leaving a note for her brother that there were drainers in Bon Temps, but as Pam was the one who took the message, it looked as though she might have to rescue the idiot herself.

Then, to her amazement, she sees her cheerleader of a waitress come out to save him. She watches as the woman throws a chain around the throat of the male half of the drainer duo after they exchanged words. She raises her eyebrow as the spunky woman then goes after the female half. She has enough when the drainer-whore starts insulting the waitress and comes down and grabs the woman from behind.

 

[ ](http://i1.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Sookie-1.jpg)

Sookie is shocked when the woman she had been serving earlier appears out of nowhere and grabs Denise Rattray by her arms, and she can hear the pop as the woman’s shoulder is dislocated. The idiot Rat screams out as she falls to her knees from the pain.

Bella looks at the woman as she drops the Rat onto the ground, then looks back as she hears the vampire behind her groan. “Oh, please. If those chains actually  _can_  hold you, then you truly are a pathetic vampire and need to be erased as the failure you are to your Maker.” She is irritated and knows that it is a sign of needing to feed, and realizes that she will have to let Eric know where she is.

Bringing her mind back to the here and now, Bella turns her attention to the woman in front of her. “Thank you for the defense of the vampire, but I think there is something more to this than what it appears to be. I think you need to go inside.” Bella’s little hovering trick has drained her more than she expected., so she needs to get the female out of the way of the idiotic Compton. The weeks of going without of feeding are not helping either.

Sookie frowns as she again gets nothing from the woman in front of her. “Oh my Stars! Why can’t I hear you?” She cocks her head to the side.

Bella raises an eyebrow. That is interesting to hear. It makes her wonder what Sookie is because the only telepath she knows of is Edward, and knowing that the woman had heard her speaking just fine, that could be the only other answer – one that is not hard to guess with her experience with Edward and how he had reacted to her. She starts to answer, but the pain in her body pulls her to the ground.

Sookie rushes forward to catch the woman, and finds her somewhat lighter than she expected. If she had known that the woman was this light, she would never have served her so many drinks!

As she holds the woman, Sookie hears a curse as Sam comes up behind her. “Sookie, go into my office.”

She started to say something, but then hears her brother and Hoyt come out of the bar. “Sookie, I’ll take her in. Just go, please.”

 [](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Sam-Merlotte-EDGE-1.jpg)

Sam shakes his head at the other vampire. “I don’t know who you are, but if I were you, I would stop the act and follow me. Her brother is coming, and I am not defending you to him.” Sam has no wish for the King of Texas to see him here.

He had left there in a hurry, and is pretty sure that the woman on the ground is the reason he had not been hunted since then. But with her being who she is, he can’t just leave her where she is. Either way, he has no time for the fool on the ground.

[ ](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Bill-Compton.jpg)

Compton growls in frustrated anger. He has no idea why everyone is saying that he is free to move. The scenario is believable; he has staged many like it. Even vampires have fallen for the ruse so why won’t these fools?

Sam shrugs as he lifts the woman into his arms. “Suit yourself. If I find you hurt these boys, I will sick the Sheriff on you.” As the two boys walk up, he tells them, “Grab the Rattray’s. There is rope in my truck. Make sure they don’t get away; the man coming is going to be plenty mad when he gets here.” Once he is sure the boys are following his instructions, he turns around.

He then carries the Queen of Texas to his office and places her on a chair. He wishes he had a better place, but he doesn’t feel comfortable letting the Sheriff of Area 5 into his home. So, he sits in his chair as he thinks of how bad of a clusterfuck this night has become. Either way, the jig is up. Maybe he can save his ass if he plays this right.

With that in mind, Sam calls Fangtasia, his lips lifting into a sneer as he listens to the Sheriff lieutenant spiel, “Fangtasia, the Bar with a Bite, how may I help you?” He has heard rumors that this idiot tries to get between the woman in front of him and her master. He admits he would like to see the uppity bitch put into her place.

Sam shakes his head at the thought of how much of an idiot she must be as he asks, “I need to speak with the Sherri-ff.”

Pamela sighs. “I’m sorry, he is out right now.” Her mouth says the words, but he could tell she is bored and telling him whatever she thinks will get him off the phone.

Not playing the game, Sam states, “Then I need his cell phone number.”

Pamela lifts the phone from her ear, frowns at it, then answers the demand, “The Sherriff doesn’t give out his cell phone number to anyone.” Her voice is not as bored now, rather she seems entertained with the idea that a mere shifter would need her master’s number.

Growling with the level of idiocy she is showing, Sam tells her, “He will want to get this call. I am calling about his sister.” He hopes this will give her the motivation she needs. She can’t be stupid enough to go against her maker  _and_  Godric, can she?

Pamela smirks. “His sister is in Dallas. Everyone knows that. Now either tell me a message or I will be hanging up.” Feeling safe in her assumption, she just waits to see what else the idiot will come up with. She hopes it’s something good.

Shaking his head at the foolishness of the woman since everyone knows that no one messes with the Viking’s sister, Sam says, “Look, I don’t know why she is here, but she has been here for a couple of days. She needs him right now. So give me the number or call him yourself, I don’t really care. I am not being blamed for not contacting him when she is hurt.” Nope. He will use what he can to save his ass, and right now, this game of hers is making it likely that he will find himself in a grave with no hope of rising in three days.

Leaning back in Eric’s seat, Pam shrugs. “It doesn’t bother me what happens to the little bitch. She needs to learn that Eric is not on call for her. She can call her maker as well as I can call mine. She-“

Sookie had followed Sam into his office, and is sitting there quietly, but when she is about to ask Sam about what’s going on, the door slams open and then there is a blur that stops at the woman’s side.

 [](http://i2.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Eric-SYF_edited-4.jpg)

Eric is seething. He had felt Bella’s pain on his way over, and he rushed to her side as the drainers were nowhere as important, but then he heard his Child’s words. Unable to rein in his anger, Eric holds his hand out and Sam puts the receiver in his hand. “Pamela.”

Pam’s eyes widen. “Eric.” ‘ _Oh shit.’_

Eric looks over his sister as he orders his Child, “Stay there. And pray that my punishment is enough. You do not want Godric involved. And Pamela, if someone says they need my number because of Bella again, you will give it immediately. If Godric calls for any reason, have him call me.” With that, he hands the phone back to the shifter. He is furious with his Child, and at the same time with his sister, too. She has waited too long to contact him.

Sookie watches the tall man in front of her. She cannot deny that her whole body tingled when he appeared, and she has no idea why. His words on the phone are cold and hard, however his actions are anything but.

He sinks to his knees beside the woman and pushes her hair tenderly out of her face as he looks her over. Then he says something in another language, and Sookie flinches as he tears his wrist open and puts it to the mouth of the woman he had called Bella.

Eric can see the signs that she has been starving herself. She has found that drinking alcohol does nothing to her but helps her delay the thirst for a small while. But…he had no idea she was in the area. He asks the shifter, “How long has she been here?” The words are harsh, but his actions are caring towards the young woman.

Sam shakes his head. “I’ve seen her around for a few days. I had no idea you didn’t know she was in town, though. I recognized her but I haven’t said anything.” He shrugs, not wanting to get into the whys and wherefores.

Eric opens his wrist and feeds her again. She latches on, and he breathes a quiet sigh of relief. Finally.

Sam watches. “So it is true?” His eyes are wide in reaction. A vampire who can only drink from two sources? How does that work? And how could she drink alcohol?

Eric looks up at him, and sighs. “We don’t want it known, but she can only feed from me or Godric. I have no idea why she is here, and I am shocked she is here without one of her Guardians.” He keeps a lock on his extreme emotions, as he has since his arrival. No need for Godric to be even more worried than he undoubtedly is.

He looks at her and asks, “What happened?” He will need to know when the call comes. His sister will be in trouble, but he can understand her need to be away from Godric, especially with the media circus his Maker has told him about. But why not tell  _him_?

Wanting to answer the stranger, Sookie speaks up, “I was rescuing a vampire from some drainers. She appeared when Denise went to attack me.   She did something that made a popping noise and Denise just collapsed. She said something to the other vampire about “stop faking it” and then she fell.” She feels some need to have the man look at her as she feels more and more drawn to him.

Eric looks up and his eyes widen as his meets hers. “Knulla!”  _This is why he had to be here?_

Bella rouses to his statement and she wryly comments, “It can’t be all that bad.”

Eris looks back to her, and he grins. “Oh lillasyster, you are going to be in for it. Why haven’t you checked in?” He is careful with her. His sister is very important to him, and he cannot understand why she hid from him. Did she think he would forbid her from anything? The most he would have done is ask Peter to stay close to her. Or Charlotte…

Bella coughs as he helps her sit up. He is watching her carefully when he comments, “And you are going to be coming with me. You are nowhere near as well-fed as you need to be.” He can see the signs, and he is even more concerned.

She glares up at him.

Sookie had frozen when the man stared at her, but when she hears his statement, she holds her hand to her mouth. “Oh my Lord! You’re both vampires!” Why she hadn’t she seen it before? Well, she has been hidden in her small world here.

Eric chuckles as he teases his sister, “Verkar vår Freyja hade mer i åtanke än att du är den enda att gå vid min sida för åldrarna. Träffa min kompis.” ( _Seems our Freyja had more in mind than you being the only one to walk by my side for the ages. Meet my mate_.)

Bella’s eyes widen when she takes in the woman before her. She says to Eric, “Compton var intresserad av henne och fejkade en förvånansvärt verklig dränering hånar upp. Han har varit miljöprövningens henne ut, och en del av anledningen till att jag är här. Intelligensen angav han sänt drottning. Jag tror att din partner på något sätt har flugit under Radar, men jag misstänker att hon är mer än människa. Hon uppgav att hon inte kunde höra mig, och det påminde mig om Fuckward. ( _Compton was interested in her and faked a surprisingly real draining mock up. He has been scoping her out, and it’s part of the reason I am here. Intelligence indicated he was sent by your Queen. I think your mate has somehow flown under the radar, but I suspect she is more than human. She indicated she couldn’t hear me, and it reminded me of Fuckward_.)

Eric’s jaw clenches. He turns around and, looking at his mate, tries to decide what to do.

Bella advices him softly, “We can see her home, and then talk. I can tell you now that I didn’t mind, but a lot of the reason why is because I was given the choice.” She is trying to hint to him without giving away the woman’s importance to anyone else, especially not with what they suspect about the Cold Ones.

And she is trying to relieve the tension she feels rolling off him. Eric is everything she ever wanted in a brother, in family. She loves him on a different level than Godric, but she does love him deeply.

He looks at his sister, then looks back at his mate. He finally nods.

Bella grins, then looks to Sookie and informs her, “I am Isabella Northman, and this is my brother, Eric Northman.” She is watching the woman, and her grin widens as she can see the signs of the mating bond surface.

Right then, Eric’s phone rings, and he grins wolfishly at his syrra. “I am shocked it took him this long.” He can’t wait for her to hear it. Then he will comfort her, and try to find out why she hid from him.

Bella frowns, then reaches into her pocket. She cusses as she holds out the remains of her phone. She must have fallen on it.

His grin broadens as he answers his phone, “Godric.”  _Oh yes, this will be entertaining._

The voice is quiet, but Sam grins while Bella collapses back into the chair. She holds out her hand for the phone.

Eric smiles as he discloses to Godric, “Hold on. She fell on her phone but she is right here beside me.” He never throws his syrra under the bus as they say now. Nope. He is the good cop in these situations. As Eric has told Godric, he has a way to get on her good side. Eric should never need to be anywhere else.

Bella takes the phone with a sigh. “Dia duit, mo ghrá. Tá brón orm, bhí mé ina amadán. ( _Hello, my love. I am sorry, I was a fool_.)

Sookie just stares at them, realizing there have been more languages spoken in here than she has ever heard in her life. She lifts an eyebrow as the tall blond looks at her again. He runs his hand through his hair, which reaches his shoulders, and after glancing at his sister, he sighs. “I’m going to need to get it cut again or she will say something.” He likes it better cut, he has simply been too busy lately. Work has piled up, and trying to pass some of it to Pam has been a process in itself.

Sookie can’t help but giggle. The tone of his voice shows his love for the woman, but the exasperation shows that he knows he’s going to be ragged on about it.

Eric lifts an eyebrow to her, then comments, “Thank you for helping with my sister. I take it this is where I should have been heading to begin with?” He takes drainers seriously. Too many of his area have been hunted and he has no idea why, but he is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Sam looks from Eric to Sookie and back. He closes his eyes, realizing he has no luck in this, not unless he can convince Sookie of how bad vampires are while managing to keep the two from touching.. He suspects if he tried that, however, Eric would hunt him down, and a simple touch would ruin anything he tried to do anyway. Not only does he worry about his own life, but now he also worries about the woman he had wanted to share that life with. Maybe his life expectancy being lower is now a good thing?

“There are two drainers in the back. A new vampire is in town, I have smelled him around, but he didn’t come in until tonight. He had set up a fake scenario of needing to be rescued from those drainers.”

Sookie frowns as she asks, “How do you know it was fake?” It had looked real to her.

Bella hands her brother his phone. “Because the chains were too small. They wouldn’t hold a newborn, and he is older than a century.” She is subdued, but Godric being calm and reasonable has upset her more than if he had just yelled.

Eric lifts his eyebrow as he asks, “Who and where is your Guardian?” He had heard the conversation, and he is not happy that the Guardian has not showed themselves yet. This is sloppy, and he has no use for it. Although he has a bad idea who it is…

Bella looks out the window. “Paul, and he is currently on his way back to Dallas. Jasper is on his way. Until then I am not to leave your sight until he is here. Even then, I need to move in with you.” She is sad to have to be treated like a newborn and instead of the adult she is. She ignores the voice that tells her that if she had been responsible, none of this would be needed.

But dammit, she needed the freedom to think!

Sookie shakes her head, “You look old enough to take care of yourself?” She doesn’t understand why they were upset.

Eric laughs. “Oh, she is more than able to handle herself. The issue is that she is one of the most recognizable vampires in the world, well except for here obviously, and she has enemies. The only things my maker, who is also her mate and maker, had requested of her was that she check in with me since she cannot drink from any but the two of us, and to never leave her Guardian behind. Instead, she does both. This is his way of punishing her.” He smiles at his mate, but watches his syrra worriedly. This is not something he would have ever have thought she would do. She is normally very responsible, and he usually would have been proud of her. However, not when she pushes it this far.

Bella doesn’t look at him, but nods.

Sookie shakes her head. “I don’t get it.”

Eric looks at her, thinking in his head, ‘ _Oh, but you will, Little One._ ’ Aloud he tells her, “She had been poisoned as a human. As a personal favor, my patron goddess made it possible for her to live. She became my sister in blood before she changed. The consequences are that when she was Turned, she could only drink from her mate and her brother – me. But mates are rare, so we found she had been blessed even then, since the female mate can only drink from their male mate.” Concerned, he caresses his sister’s face when she doesn’t look at him.

Bella stands up and informs Eric, “Make the calls you need to, then we can escort Sookie home and talk to her some more. Godric wants me to stay here longer, seems the FotS have made some moves toward us. He thinks I will be safer here for now. But to make sure, he is sending Jasper. I suggest you call for Charlotte. I bet this is the reason you have two Guardians.” She is now the woman who rules a state by her mate’s side, the one who helps them both plan.

Eric smirks. “Oh I know it. Good thing I opened the other club now, huh?” He is happy she is choosing to return to her normal self, but he will be talking with her later to find out why she acted out this time.

She rolls her eyes as she orders, “Call. And see if that numbwit you call a dayperson can get me a phone. If not, I will ask Jasper.” She shrugs; either will work, but she hates Bobby with a passion.

He just laughs then bows a little to Sookie. “My lady, I will be back. If you can watch my sister, I would appreciate it. Then we will escort you home as she has requested.”

Sookie can’t help but grin at his playfulness – a grin that turns into a full blown laugh when Bella yells after him, “And get your hair cut!”

 

* * *

**Final count:  3,751 words.**

**Fairfarren~**

[ ](http://i0.wp.com/www.kittyinaz.com/wp-content/uploads/Signature-for-Edge.gif)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter for awhile. MY Facebook group begged and pleaded, and the result of that is that I went through and edited all the works I have written. When I am done with the book, I will be working on this one and ITE.


	3. Chapter 2 Strong on the Surface

 

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**Pre-Edit Count – 2,236 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Leave Out All the Rest_ by Linkin Park

* * *

_Previously:_

_Sookie cannot help but chuckle at the playfulness in him.  That turned into a full blown laugh as Bella yelled after him, “And get your hair cut!”_

_Now:_

* * *

 

As the night continues, Sookie is constantly amused with Eric and Bella.  There is no question that the two of them adore each other, and are very close.  Their relationship makes her wish that her own with Jason was as close as their own.

However, she is also aware that Eric is very concerned about Bella.  He watches her with a look on his face that tells much about their relationship, that for all the teasing the two of them do to each other, their relationship is much deeper and caring.  It wasn’t until they are all outside, with a couple of people driving up in a van, that she gets some idea of why.

 

A cheerful young dirty blond vampire jumps out of the van, looking at Compton with a laugh. “Here he is!!! You have been a naughty boy haven’t you, Compton?” He stands there his hands on his hips, enjoying that the person who would have brought so many pain has already been cut short in his shenanigans.

 

Out of the other side of the van gets out a blonde female who is soon by the side of the male, with a slap upside his head. “Peter!” There is no doubt that she is very aware of her own beauty, but at the same time, there is no vainness.  Just an acceptance of her sexuality.  As well as her forbearance of her mate and his mouth.

Sookie covers her mouth as she tries to hide the giggle. The two seem very well suited for each other.  She keeps his attention while the male obviously adores his mate.  She wonders why Bella and Eric are giving grins like this is something normal.  How often does the male get his head slapped?

 

As he hears the giggle, Eric turns to look at his mate. Now that he has met his mate, Eric is all too aware that Godric is made of sterner stuff than he is.  He craves nothing more than touching his mate and finds his hands often moving to touch her.  He has so far managed to prevent himself, often moving away from her.  However, it seems like the two revolve around each other when one moves unless the other is paying attention, they move with them.  Since Sookie has no idea what is going on, he needs to be aware for the two of them.

Because of this, Eric has resorted to putting his Syrra in between the two of them.  She is amused and often is grinning at him as she catches him constantly putting his hands down, and to the point, he even at one point held his hands in front of him. “Du försöker dölja något, bror?” ( _You trying to hide something, brother?_ ) She has her eyebrow up as she tries to look somewhat innocent.  Failing, but trying.

He growls at her, and Bella just giggles.  But there is still the look of concern Eric has when she looks away.  He looks as if he analyzing her as well as being ready to jump to her side if anything happens.  By the looks of the two other new vampires, they are the same way.

It makes Sookie wonder why they are so protective of her.  Is she really that bad right now?

With a sigh, the blonde male gives a half smile to Bella, then went to put the drainers and Compton in the back of the van.  All through this, he ignores the protests of Compton as for him being innocent of anything that would have him back there.  Shaking his head, he is rough with the Civil War Veteran, glad he was caught before he did much harm, or even got a chance to get his blood in Sookie to mess so much up.

The female, however, smiles when she sees Bella and opens her arms to her.  Bella runs into them, and they can hear some murmuring going on between the two. There is obvious love between the two, and the look the blonde vampire and even Eric gives them shows this is common.

Running his hand through his hair, Eric shakes his head. “Why didn’t she come to me?” He mutters, the worry clear in his voice as well as the befuddlement that he is feeling.

Turning her head, Sookie asks, “I’m sorry?” She notices he is holding his hands in front of him again though she wishes that she could touch him.  She feels as if those arms will protect her, keep her safe, and all she needs to do is go to him to have it all.

Breaking her daydreaming unintentionally, Eric sighs, “I am her brother, always on her side no matter what and she hid from me.  Why?” He edges slightly away from her movement towards him and wonders yet again, how did Godric plan to do this with Bella.  He is having trouble keeping away from her this quickly in their first meeting!

Looking back to the two females, Sookie cocks her head to the side. “Do you have any idea of why she left?” She tries to help him since he is obviously lost in this.  She might not be able to read their minds, but she is a female and it might give her just enough of an insight to help him.

Looking at his mate from the side of his eye, he thinks over the question. “I think it is the media circus surrounding her about her pledging to Godric.” He shrugs, unable to really think of any reason she wouldn’t come here.  He would have protected her from the media circus.  She already knows how he feels about it, having been subjected to that terrifying moment that Bella had been separated from Godric by the media.

She frowns.  “Why does that name seem familiar to me?” Sookie has heard the name Godric.  It is unique enough to have caught her attention from somewhere, but she is unable to place it.

He chuckles.  “You may recognize Godric and his Mate, Isabella.  Who are also my maker and my sister.” Amused, he watches as Sookie suddenly puts it all together.  Most people don’t realize that Bella and Isabella are the same person, so it isn’t surprising that Sookie didn’t.  Eric knows that is why she dresses the way she does in interviews and when she thinks media will be around.  So times like this, she is less recognizable as that person that they often see on TV.

Blinking, she looks at the brunette and then takes a step back. “Why is she here?” Ashamed she didn’t put two and two together, Sookie can see clearly that Bella is the lady seen on TV so often.  But who would expect to see someone so famous on TV, often with her mate in Dallas, in Bon Temps?

He looks down at her, beginning to think that he may have a longer road than Godric did with Bella with the media.  Eric shakes his head wryly, thinking that he has practice at least in it as he answers Sookie, “From her comments, it was because of you.  I take it you never thought she was Isabella?” He will be telling his Syrra about this conversation if she is not already paying attention.

Shaking her head slowly back and forth, as she stares at the strangely almost human vampire.  Though everyone knows that Eric, Bella, and Godric are all daywalkers, she never made the connection that she is even anything other than human! “No.  Who would think someone that important being here in little ole Bon Temps?” She never even tried to read her mind, just happy that her thoughts were being broadcast, since today had been a bad day for her shields.

He couldn’t help it, and starts laughing.  Eric finally gasps out, “Why not?” This will be one that the three of them will laugh about in the future.  If not, Bella will get a laugh out of it.

By this time, Bella has made her way back, mentioning to Sookie, “What is up with him?” She is watching her brother, as he is trying to hide his tears from his mate.  She reaches into her back pocket, and grabbing a napkin, she hands it to him, as he straightens up trying to stop.

Shaking her head, Sookie answers her, watching Eric. “We were discussing something, and he cannot believe me when I said I never thought you being THAT Bella.  Why would you be here?” She cannot help the spurt of jealousy that Bella could touch him.  She wanted nothing more, but when she has moved slightly closer, he has moved away from her.  Was it something about her?

Puzzled, Bella looks at her, thinking over her statement.  Not understanding why it would be odd, she asks, “Why not?”

Giving up on stopping, Eric just starts laughing harder, his head thrown back and leaning slightly on his Syrra as she leans into him giving him the support he needs.

Sookie just gives a little laugh, unable to see what is so funny. “That is what he said.” She shrugs, as Bella just shakes her head and trades looks with Eric.

Walking up behind Bella, Charlotte gives the siblings a look, and informing Sookie, “Honey, they are just that way. To them both, it doesn’t matter the city, or the size of the town for a reason not to suspect anything.  To be fair, Eric did find his sister in a small town like this.” She looks around the area.  She is suspecting that she will be spending a lot of time here until they can convince Sookie of the need to be around Eric more.

She suspects that Sookie won’t be as easy to convince as Bella.  But then, she is lucky not to be dying and having so much put upon her in a day or so.  Peter had told her how close it had been in them losing their Bella.  Edward would have never allowed them close to her until after she was changed, and it would be just too late by then.

Sensing his mates distress, and by the tenor of it, what it is about, Peter comes up giving a kiss to Charlotte.  He puts his arms around her, showing her that he is here, and all is well.  After giving her a loving glance, he discloses to them, “I will go drop off these guys and be back here soon, hopefully before Jasper gets here.” He turns to go, after kissing his mate and Bella on the cheek, then tells his charge over his shoulder, “Eric, just a note, the outcast from the Gone with the Wind set was here for _her_.”

When Eric’s eyebrow raises as his laughter stops and he becomes very still, Peter continues to divulge to him, “You need to deal with whatever it needs to be done to make sure she is safe.” He looks to his mate, knowing that until they can get through the issues, the two of them will be only together when Eric and Sookie are.

Looking in-between them all, Sookie, thinking that is all about Bella, informs them, “I can just go home while you take her elsewhere.” That would help them go and deal with what is happening.  She hopes that she can see Eric again, but she would like to talk to her Gran about tonight.  She never had this reaction to a male before!

Laughing at her as he opens the door to the van, Peter teases her, “Little one, you are about to find out your world is going to be turned topsy-turvy.  But, let me tell you, this is going to be something that will make your life 100% better.  And save the life of your Gran.  Just listen to Bella here, and she will help you and her brother out.” With that, he tips his head to the ladies and giving Eric a halfhearted salute, and is in the van, driving away.

With a fond look, Charlotte sighs, “What did I ever do to deserve him, Bella?” She is lucky considering what all they have gone through, to have Peter there at all times for her.  Poor Jasper went through it all alone, and then there was the hell that Godric and Eric have seen waiting for their mates.  She is very lucky considering that she found Peter almost on day one.

Smiling at her, since they drop the greats and so on, Bella just answers, “Me?” Charlotte is a big sister to her.  Peter is more like an uncle, to make all their relations even more messed up.  But somehow it all works for them, and that is all that matters.

With a warm look at Bella, Charlotte turns and looks at Sookie.  She turns her head to the side, and asks, “How much are you going to be like Bella here?  Or are you going to break the mold of the Northman’s and behave?” She is not expecting much in that.  Though, unlike Bella and Eric, she is only mated to Eric.  She doesn’t share his genes.

Yet.

Lost Sookie just stares at her. “Huh?” What is she meaning how much is she going to be like Bella?  Bella is in a class by herself, and Sookie is just a backyard waitress.  There is no way they are alike.

Bella sighs, and then wraps an arm around Sookie’s shoulders, “C’mon let’s head to your house and we can talk there.” This will be a long conversation, and she suspects that her brother will have a much harder time than Godric did.  And knowing the idiot as she does, he will try to emulate Godric’s wishes.

* * *

Pulling up to her house, Sookie hears her Gran awake still, probably waiting for her like normal. She gets out and watches the others appear around her.

When they had gone to leave, Sookie had worried about how everyone will fit in her little yellow car.  To solve his mate’s concerns, as well as helping his own need to touch her, Eric had taken Bella in his arms and told her that they will be above her.  Then he took off into the air, showing her what he meant.

Charlotte had just told her that she will follow her, with no need for the theatrics that the Northman’s are often doing.  Though she was grinning at their antics.  She knew why Eric had needed to put some distance between them.  Using his sister is just another way to also find out why she avoided him.  A little hard to get away in the air.

As she starts getting her stuff out of the car, Sookie thinks over the night so far. Right now she has a lot of questions.  And she is noticing how caring Eric is for Bella.  She has the feeling that if it had been anyone else, she would be in a rage, jealous of how close they are.  As it is the jealousy she feels is more of wishing she could be the one touching Eric.

But of Bella herself?  She and her mate Godric are the stuff of legends. Stories abound about their story though they have denied time and time again of releasing the information.  It never stopped anyone from imagining it.

Their love for each other is very, very evident any time they look at each other.  It is what caught the imagination of a nation, having made vampires more humane.  It had fired the imagination of many.  It made the coming out of the Vampires more of a backstory to the two of them.   Goodness knows, she and her Gran talked more about the love of the two  of them, than anything else about the Vampires.

However, even as this all flows through her mind, right now, she wants the answers they have mentioned.  Her drive home alone allowed her to form a lot of questions in her head.  Mainly, why do they seem to congregate around her?  Why are they not taking Bella somewhere else?  Especially if she is unwell as it seems from their reactions.

Ignoring them for a moment, Sookie heads into the house, informing her Gran, “I have some visitors, Gran.” She is hoping they can wait for her outside until her Gran is suited for the company.  She wouldn’t want her ashamed of her reception of them in anything less than her best.

 

The elder immediately straightens her hair, asking, “Who are they?  And why at this time?” She is glad she threw on a housecoat though she rather of been in one of her dresses to meet company.

Having followed Sookie for Eric’s piece of mind, Bella answers her from the doorway, “Sorry, Mrs. Stackhouse, but that would be because we are vampires.  And it is urgent we speak with you.” She makes no apology for her intrusion.  It is more important for them to inform these ladies of the threat and the fact of the mating of Eric and Sookie. Life is about to change for them all.

Shocked Gran blinks at her, but she nods, “Please come in, all of you!” She quickly gets up, turning on the lights, beyond the little lamp she had been using to read with.  If it was urgent, then there is no need for her to make them come back at a later time.  Though she might have an idea about the urgency.  It may finally be time.

Having had followed Bella inside, Eric is waiting, still surprised that the magic normally protecting a human’s home allowed him, as well as Bella to get past it.  He just stands there awkwardly for one of the few times in his life.  How do you tell someone and their grandmother that they are your mate? Much less the information that he suspects that Bella and the rest of the Whitlock’s may have on why Compton was here.

Thinking back on Bella’s and Godric’s meeting as he has already many times that night, Eric makes a correlation. He wonders why is it that, that particular bloodline seems to be involved in his blood line finding their mates?  Since Godric had met Bella on his way to a meeting on Compton’s maker.

Sensing Eric’s emotions, Bella smiles at them. “Ok, since this has already happened to me, I will be the one explaining this.  Sorry if I am too blunt, but there is just no easy way to say this.  Sookie, you are one of 3 possible couples out there from what we know.  That is three couples in a very long history, as well as a lot of couples.  Simply put, you are what we call mated to Eric here.” She shrugs.  There is no easy way to put this, and she has thought over this since the moment that Eric’s and Sookie’s eyes had met in the bar.

Sookie just blinks, looking at her Gran. “Wha?” She is Eric’s mate?  Are they talking as if they are British and are going to be friends?  There is no way that she is anything more or even have the possibility of being more to that godlike man staring at her over Bella’s shoulder.

Understanding her shock, even more than Sookie would understand, Bella chuckles.  “Better than my reaction.  But let me ask you.  Did you feel anything when you met Eric’s eyes for the first time?”  At Sookie’s blush and nod, she smiles. “That is the first step.  Your souls met in that glance, and they start yearning to be one again.”  She pauses as she tries to articulate the feeling better, remembering clearly those days. “Actually, that is wrong, they always have yearned to be one with their other half, but now they know who that is.” And she cannot help but let her smile get bigger as she remembers clearly her mating with Godric and how it felt to join their souls as one again.

Behind her, Eric shifts as he smiles, remembering that moment and how it felt for him through their links.  And the fact that this is looking to be in his future makes him look back at Sookie with even more longing.

Blinking in shock, Gran is just staring until she manages to ask, “How do you know this?”  Fintan had told her this may happen, and she needs to just encourage it with any of her children or grandchildren. He had even told her that he suspects it will be Sookie.  That finding a vampire’s mate is a treasure they will do anything to protect.  But they will love on their treasure, doting on them like no other being can.

It had been foretold for one of his line to have this blessing, so he had told his own mate of the possibility so that she will be able to understand and encourage their descendants about it.

Smiling, Charlotte pushes past Eric to lean against a counter, helping her charge keep his goal of not touching his mate until she agrees.  Indicating with her head, Bella, she answers Gran’s question. “She is one of the other 3.  Bella and Godric are the first ones in a _very_ long time.”  Her smile only fades a little bit with the memory of how close that had been in not happening.

Everyone in the kitchen is all staring at Eric and Sookie as they stare at each other, the longing for each in their very bodies, glances, and everything.

Happy for her brother, Bella smiles, informing both Gran and Sookie, “The next step would be a touch.  With that one touch, you will begin to feel everything that he does.  You will never question in your entire life if he cares.  It is the most amazing thing ever.” The last is said with a look in her eyes, as well her tone telling them of the truthfulness of that statement.

Unable to take her eyes from Eric, Sookie finally says, “How do you know?” There is no way this is possible!  This man is too perfect for her.

Glancing at Charlotte, the two laughing, Bella waves her hand at herself, “One of the few, remember?” There is no doubting what they have in front of them.  She starts thinking of ways to make it easier for Eric to be around her.  Right now she is thinking of ordering him a NASA spacesuit.

Shaking her head, Sookie looks at Bella, “No, how do you know that he will like me?  I’m nothing.” She needs them to stop with this game.  This is painful to be giving her the idea that this man is hers.  She was fine being on the outside and getting all the eye candy that she will be using for a long time when she is alone.

“Sookie!”  The shock in her Gran’s voice is enough to have her looking down, but she then lifts her head and her chin out as she tells her, “Look at him, Gran!  I remember that he is an ancient, one of the older ones out there from the news reports you have on all the time.  Why would he want me?” She challenges her Gran.

Unable to help herself, Bella starts laughing.  When they all look at her in shock, she just gasps, “And that is what Eric is thinking!!! He is feeling so unworthy of this honor that you have no idea.  You two belong together!” She glances back at Eric, and he looks away, obvious he would be blushing at the worst if he could.  He never was so glad that he couldn’t anymore, and at the same time, cursing the bond between Bella and him.  While never wishing it gone, he sometimes wishes they were not as attuned to each other still.

Unable to stop themselves, Sookie and Eric look at each other, Sookie blushing.  Eric sighs, and with a glance at his sister, explains to Sookie how his sister can tell, “She can feel what I do because Bella is my blood sister, blessed by our goddess, Freya. This means we share so many things it really isn’t funny, but at the same time, it helped her in a time she needed it.” He sends Bella his love, making sure that no matter what, she knows that she is loved and he will never regret the bond.  No matter what his embarrassment wishes.

Knowing that she would want more information, Eric’s hands going through his hair, he explains, “After Godric and Bella mated, there is nothing more that I want for myself.  I even stopped a lot of my previous habits.  Between the bond between them and myself, as well any disapproval from Bella is enough to stop anyone, I am nothing like I was before.   All I wanted is to have this chance.  But I never thought I was worthy of it.” He just shrugs at the end.  It is very true, and Bella knows it from their many talks they have had over the years.

Bella has stopped laughing, and she turns to hug her brother. “You are worth it,” She tells her brother, as she has always told him all this time.  She sends back her love and conviction that he more than deserves this.

  

A laugh from the door sounds out, and a gentleman comes in.  He is tall and looks more like Bella than anyone other than Eric.  They give a fond look to each other, and as he stops next to Eric, the family resemblance between the three is very evident as he informs Bella with a strong southern accent, “Those are my words, sister.”

Eric grins as he sees the man. “Jasper.” He feels relief seeing the blonde Guardian.  Jasper is able to watch over Bella all the time, and with his help, they may actually make sense of this mess.  Even with all this going on, he is worried about Bella and can even still feel her hunger under everything else.

A head nod is exchanged between the two, as Bella stays in Eric’s arms, hiding from Jasper.  She does not want to get the lecture she deserves from Jasper.  She cannot explain her actions, and even though he will listen to her, even going so far as to argue for her against Godric, she has nothing to give him to do it.

Sensing her emotions, as well as remembering his thoughts on the run here, Jasper shakes his head and moves to her.  With a look at Eric and gaining his approval for him to do so, takes Bella from his arms.  “Why, little one?” He asks her as he floods her with his relief that she is ok, and worry that she would do something so unlike her.

Grasping the only excuse that she even has, Bella groans.  “I was being swarmed with people asking.  I needed some time, and when I read the reports about Compton being here, I jumped at the chance.” The short, simple truth. But as she has been here, she cannot recall why it was so urgent for her to leave.

Shaking his head, Jasper dips his head down to her to meet her eyes. “And none of us would have blamed you.  But to not let Eric know you are here, as well as ditching Paul?  All you did was make him worry.  He is not a happy camper.  Life is not going to be easy for any in Texas, and especially Paul.  Is that fair?” His red eyes stare into her blue ones, waiting for an answer.

Slumping into him, Bella tries to explain the feelings at that moment when she had left.  “I felt like I couldn’t breathe.  I felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone.  I can’t explain it.”  She is frustrated, and sends the feeling to him, knowing he will understand.

Jasper gets an odd look on his face, and then tells Eric and Bella, “When we leave, we need to talk about this.  Bella, think about it some more since I have some questions to ask you.” Too much is not making sense.  He can feel the difference being here than being there in Texas.  And it is sending up red flags in his head that there is more going on than they think.

The two siblings exchange a look before they nod.  Yes, everyone has questions and they are suspecting there might be more going on, than just Bella’s aberrant behavior.

Then sensing the emotions in the room, beside the two he had been focusing on, Jasper then looks around and seeing Sookie and her Gran, he bows to them slightly.  “Sorry, my charge here commanded my first priority.  My name is Major Jasper Northman Whitlock at your service, ladies.” He had left Charlotte to defend them all if there was any need.  He trusted her to do all she could in that split second that would be necessary before they rest of them would have reacted to a threat.  But he cannot help but smirk as he realizes that there is _much_ more going on here.

Her eyes lighting up, Gran asks, “Civil War?” Maybe he can tell her more about the past and answer any questions that she may have at that time.  It had been one of her fond daydreams on meeting a vampire from that time and asking them questions.

Feeling her curiosity and delight, Jasper laughs. “One of them.  But I cannot answer any questions about it right now.  I suspect we have the usual mate talk going on, and no one telling everything.”  He grins down at his sister in his arms as he feels Eric’s own exasperation.  This will be fun being able to tease Eric for awhile.

But as he feels Eric’s fear and unworthiness, Jasper sighs.  He takes in the emotions of the people in the room, as he discloses to the two humans, “Ok, let’s get it out on the table what is going on.  I feel emotions, and I will answer what I can from those since they are often the most informative and truthful.”

Even knowing that Bella had already told them this from his entrance into the house, Jasper reiterates, “To initiate the next step is for Eric and Sookie to touch.  No, it won’t go away the need to touch, and will only get stronger per sources.  Sookie, you are worth it, and so are you, Eric.  You both are fascinated by the other.  No, your emotions are not going to change, only get better.  Charlotte will be by your side Sookie since Compton is here for you.  Now.  You two touch.  Or Not.  Either way, we need to leave and talk, Bella and Eric.” He needs answers since he is conjecturing that there is much more going on in Dallas.  He takes his position very seriously and also loves his sister and her mate dearly.

The room looks at each other waiting for an answer to any of what Jasper says.  Nothing is said until Eric sighs, giving in. He looks up into his mate’s eyes and softly informs her, “Sookie, I propose that we meet tomorrow.  If the need to touch is worse, then we will talk about it.  The choice is up to you.  But for now, we will leave Charlotte here to answer any questions, while Jasper gets his meeting with Bella and me.” He too is needing answers about his sister and Maker.  There is too much going on here.

He looks around, but he waits for Sookie to answer. Eric will be needing to build his mate’s confidence.  While he is not thinking he deserves this honor, he will grab it with both hands.  But he is trying very hard to make sure his Mate is accepting of what will happen when they touch.  And they _will_ touch.  There is no doubt now that Jasper is here.

She is shocked, but a nudge from Gran has Sookie answering hesitantly, “Ok?”  Is what the new intruder into their home saying is true?  That Eric, this man who seems too perfect is also surprised about their mating?  Sookie has much to think about tonight after they leave.

Eric smiles at her while reaching for her, with only Jasper sighing and moving between the two, stopping them touching.  Jasper turns, and after telling Bella, “You first.” Nodding towards the door for them to leave.  He hates this, but he needs to make sure Eric and Sookie don’t touch as per Eric’s wish.

He rolls his eyes, and escorting them all out, thinks, ‘ _Godric, you need to pay me more for this stuff.’_ But the whole time, he is grinning at his ancestor for getting his fondest wish.

It couldn’t happen to a better man.

* * *

**Final count, 5,531 words.**

****Fairfarren~**   
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	4. Chapter 3 I Am Brave Enough

 

**Pre-Edit Count – 2,200 Words**

_Song I listened to for this chapter: Hold Me Now_ by Red

* * *

_Previously:_

_He rolls his eyes, and escorting them all out, thinks, ‘ **Godric, you need to pay me more for this stuff**.’ But the whole time, he is grinning at his ancestor for getting his fondest wish._

_It couldn’t happen to a better man._

_Now:_

* * *

 

The sun was coming up, and the group watched as Eric and Bella stood together.  His arm is wrapped around her shoulders while she is leaning into him, both watching the miracle that their patron had given them.  Never will either of them nor Godric never give thanks to her allowing them this chance to see something that some of them haven’t seen in millennium.  And the older two give thanks that their beloved sister/mate never had to go without it.

While this is going on, the group that had followed them back in the house is watching the sunrise, also giving their prayers of thanks that none of them have to miss any time with their loved ones.  Sure Bella, Eric, and Godric needed to sleep for a small amount of time, but they, for the most part, were up more than humans.  So while the three of them give thanks, those that know what happened also send up their appreciation to the goddess that they have only recently begun to believe in themselves.

 

After the morning show is done, and the two are inside with the others, Jasper leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees.  He takes in the two of them sitting on the loveseat together, Eric holding Bella close.  Smiling at the emotions bumping back and forth between the two, Jasper asks Bella, “Ok. I want you to answer some questions.  Ok, darlin’?” He sends her some of his love and comfort, trying to make that edginess he is feeling from her underneath all the other emotions soothe away.

When she nods, he gives her a small smile, “When you said you were finding it hard to breathe, when did this start?” This would give him some insight into the edginess, for now that he is thinking about it, he sensed the same thing not only from her but Godric.  Though the question remains why didn’t he catch on to it sooner or even think about it more?

Sighing, Bella looks over the time in her thoughts, as she explains. “About the time that we had that gaggle of reporters cornered me that night.” Her brow is furrowed as she contemplates the exact timing.

 

Jasper and Eric both growl out from the memory of that night, as Peter is pacing in agitation.  He knows some of what is going on, including that night and is working his knower to find out more information.  The reason Bella had to be in Bon Temps is over, and Peter will be saying something.  But he is not easy in how she got there.

Especially not on how Jasper seems surprised he didn’t say anything and that no one realized anything was going on until now.  It is very unusual for all of them, even though they haven’t heard from any other Cold Ones since the incident with the Cullens in person, they never let their guard down.  So all this is highly suspect.

The rest of them are thinking back to the night that Bella is referencing. That night had actually scared Bella, with how the reporters had somehow separated her from Paul, as well as how they managed to corner her.  It had been only days after the Revelation and she had not gained the gift of flying more than a few inches off the ground at that point.  She had panicked and sent out that panic to all who were connected to her.

Thankfully, both Jasper and Eric had been in the building, closer to her than Godric.  For there would have been a massacre from either Godric or even her to get out of the situation if they had not come.  It had been too soon after the incident with Cullen that Bella had deteriorated quickly into a panic.  She had been less than a year old at the time.

Remembering not only how long ago, but the actual incident, Jasper frowns. He comments on the video they had pulled, “We still have no idea how they separated you from Paul.  Even the monitors when we looked at them that night showed how fast they moved.  There was no way that anyone, even Godric would have not been separated from you at that moment.  But nothing could ever show how they did it.”

 

Jasper shakes his head then is about to comment on how long ago that incident was, but Peter stops his pacing and he turns to Jasper, “You never told me that bit.” That little fact seems much more important now.  Thanks to his time with Eric, Peter is more familiar with magic and what can be accomplished with it.  Especially with New Orleans being so close, Eric had introduced his guardians to some of the premier practitioners of the craft.

Eric always believed in letting his people know as much as possible.  And for the two that are his guardians that will be with him through eternity hopefully?  He lets them into all his dealings and broadens their horizons as far as he can.

No, this information could be the telling piece.  Peter makes up his mind to contact Octavia and see if she can come and check over his niece and his brothers.

Shrugging, “I thought I did, but I am telling you now.  Why?” Jasper couldn’t see the big deal.  Yes, he understands magic was used, but he didn’t have as much time as Peter and Charlotte in being able to learn new things.  He is constantly on guard and working with Godric and Bella with them running the state.  Andrew is usually the one who teaches him things and even then it is on the run.

Remembering that time, Bella starts to shudders. It had scared her deeply and she often refuses to speak about that time.

When the reaction turns into a shiver, Eric reaches out to his little sister.  He has been paying attention and when her shivering started with a spike in her hunger, he is quick to pick it up. Picking her up and soon has her on his lap, a blanket thrown over her and he has his wrist in front of her to bite.  Peter is gone, then after they hear the microwave turn on and then off, he brings Eric a full bag of blood.

The feeling of her hunger rising as well is enough to have Eric taking the chance to feed her.  Though he also plans on feeding her as much as possible to get her feeling better.  But this way she cannot say anything since his actions are only a direct result of her emotions.

Kissing his wrist in thanks for his offering, Bella starts drinking from him.  Glad that he has offered since she was starting to feel hunger pains again.

All of them relax some but Eric couldn’t help but ask the one question he has for his sister, “What I don’t get is why not tell me?  I would have never stopped you from going anywhere.  I would have only made sure you ate, but that is all.  Have I ever done anything to make you think I would ever try to restrict you?” He is hurt by the fact she didn’t seem to trust him and wishes to know why.

Holding up his hand, Jasper tells him, “I don’t think it is the cause of anything she purposely is thinking.  She and Godric have been slightly acting off.  I wanted to make sure they were separated to try to figure out what is happening.” His eyes are dark watching his little sister drinking, feeling the hunger in her being only slightly relieved.

When they all look at him in question, he just tells them, “They fought, yelling in each other’s faces in front of Andrew and me.” That is one of the things that he thought woke him up and made him start thinking.  Obviously, it wasn’t enough.

Eric blinks then look down at his syrra.  “You and Godric had a fight?  Actually yelling?  Why didn’t I feel anything?” He used to feel everything from them.  So much that he has not taken a lover wanting what they had.  Though, he did learn to leave the public if they are particularly amorous that their blocks on the bonds between them are forgotten.  The number of times he has had to change his jeans has made it where he keeps a spare set of clothing with him at all times.

Huffing, Bella finishes, and answers him, “I don’t know why!  Why are you asking me all this?” She is feeling cornered, which she has no idea why.  Eric is right, he has always been on her side, no matter what is going on.  For her to hide from him is very unusual, and she has no idea why she did it.

Then there is the problem with the bonds.  She feels Eric more lately than Godric.  But not enough to comment on it.  She thought maybe it was normal that the mating bonds lessen over time.  Eric and her bond are something unusual in the world.  In fact, from what they have been able to find, there has never been a bond like theirs, ever.

The men all look at each other, then Eric asks, “Bonding sickness?” He pulls her back into him, sending comfort and love to help soothe her tension. He is trying to understand what has happened in the last year that he has stopped running to Dallas every week.  Though he does realize why Peter was having him stay around with the time for him to meet his mate close by.

Jasper rules it out, “No, they were doing this before she left.” He has been trying to figure out what has been happening with the help of Andrew, but everything that might be the cause had something else ruling it out.

Suddenly a growl rips out of Peter. “OK.  I know this is fucked up, but here is what I _know_.  Bella had to be here, now.  Without her, Eric and Sookie would have a much rockier start.  And that fuckin’ idjit, Compton, would have gotten his blood into Sookie.  This is why I said nothing, cause all that had to happen.” He gives them a look.

Eric and Jasper never like it, but they understand that Peter had to act as he saw best.  The few times they had tried to fix something he saw, that he had indicated that he had a bad feeling about them fixing it, went FUBAR so fast it had given them whiplash.

So now, they listen to him when he tells them later that it needed to be done.  But his look tells him there is more.  More that he was not given the first time from his so-called gift. How Peter hates his gift is not a secret to any who know him.

“I didn’t know about the reasoning Jasper found or the fighting.  If I had, who knows what.  But I can tell you something is going on here.  Something affecting Godric and Bella from the outside.  For those two to fight after that one time, no.  And Bella getting all antsy about getting married?” He shakes his head at all the signs that something was going on that no one put together.

Knowing what Peter is trying to point out, Bella squirms, “I know what you are saying.  I hate marriages cause of how this day and age is with how temporary.  But our pledging is not the same thing.  I just can’t seem to get the idea out of my head!” She plays with the hem of her shirt in agitation.

Noticing her movements, Peter stops in front of his great-granddaughter, dropping to a crouch before her as he softly informs her. “I know, sweetheart.  This is affecting you both, but in such little ways right now that it may have been missed, if Jasper had not caught on.” He gives her a kiss on the forehead, nodding to Eric when he backs away.  Bella is fragile right now and it is not just her hunger that is the issue.

When he can see his charge understands, Peter looks up at Jasper, “Andrew, I take it, is watching over Godric for the same thing?” Since it seems Jasper is in the middle of whatever is going on, Peter is going to take over this.  Jasper realizes what is going on, but who knows how long the clarity will last before he is infected again with whatever the hell is going on in Dallas.

Nodding, Jasper informs him, “Yeah.  He is not happy, and he is trying to find a witch to come in and cast some cleaning spells.” He is conflicted about what is going on, how the hell has he missed so much in Dallas?

All this time, Eric is thinking, then he searches the bonds with his syrra and Godric.  He is shocked at what he is finding, “The bonds are corrupted too.” He can barely feel Godric and there is nothing he is getting from Godric about Bella.  If it had not been for the bond between them…

When they all look at him, he explains to them, shocked, “Bella is right here in my arms, and I can feel her through the bond we have from the Goddess.  But the one from Godric? The strange echo I feel normally?  Gone.” He is looking down at Bella wondering if she is really feeling this.  He had not felt a single thing wrong until he actively looked for her through the bond with Godric.

They look at each other, then look at Bella.  She lifts an eyebrow at them as if asking what they want.

Jasper sighs, irritated, but used to this for the last year, “Can you still feel Godric?” He asks of her.

She chuckles, “Of course.  Why do you ask?” Why would they think that she couldn’t feel her mate?  She had been told that there is only one bond that can supersede that bond, and it is the one she is feeling with Eric.  Unless Godric has met the True Death, and even then, she would be gone on her way to meeting him in their afterlife.

He gives her a look.  “If Eric can’t feel you, why would you think that I wouldn’t ask that?” Jasper is thinking back to when all this was not such a trial to get answers from her.  He frowns slightly when he realizes it was after that same time she had mentioned with the reporters.  Had he really not seen how much that is going on changed because of that altercation?

Peter stops and looks at the three of them, “Enough.  We need to figure out what is going on, since the reason for Bella to be here is for Sookie’s and Eric’s mating to go easier.  But for Bella and Godric to be acting this way?  Red flags are going up everywhere.  Why didn’t you tell any of us, Jasper?” He cannot understand how his maker who was an expert in relationships had missed so many clues that all is not right?  How could he have missed that no one was actually talking from Dallas, nor had any of them come to visit as they had before?

Blinking at Peter, Jasper runs through everything in his head and he shakes it slowly. “I don’t know.  It made sense there in Dallas, but right now, I cannot think of a reason that I could not run down here and tell you.” He rubs his temples trying to figure out what had gone wrong and why had he not told anyone?

Eric looks down at Bella cleaning his wrist as he drinks from the blood bag.  He is not happy still with how much he can feel her hunger, but he also reasons that he will just be feeding her every day until she feels right to him.

Then his lips quirk up, thinking of his lovely mate.  He will enjoy being with her especially since she would be a day walker like he, Godric and Bella is.  He had noticed the smell of sun on her, deducing that she must love the sun.  This way she doesn’t have to give up the sun for the stars and the moon.

Looking up at Eric, Bella smiles.  She is thrilled that Eric has found his mate.  But then her own soul reaches out to Godric and she finds nothing.  The pain of that non-contact is like acid through her veins. Never has there been this nothing, like void missing in her. The pain makes her flinch.

The three males seeing the wince on her face all give her what she calls the Northman look.  They know something happened, and the time for her to not say anything has long passed.  Information is at a premium until they figure out what is going on.

Looking up at them through her eyelashes, she tells them, “He’s closed it.” That is the only thing that she can think has happened.  But why?  Did her leave mean that he has given up on her?  Was this whole episode that she didn’t go to Eric enough to make her mate want to wash his hands off her?

The pain in her voice throws them all back, but then they think about what she has said.  Immediately, Jasper takes out his phone, calling Godric as he leaves the room.

Eric pulls her closer, as he searches out the bond to their Maker.  He shudders as he only feels his life force but none of the usual feelings he has gotten used to receiving since Bella and he mated, nor the slight feeling he had just received from Godric when he searched him out only a few moments before.  Their love is always in the deep part of his heart and soul, and now there is nothing.

He murmurs to her, comforting her as she is shuddering in his arms and sorrow is flooding her through his bond to her. “We will fix this, Syrra.” He sends her as much comfort and love to try to help close that hole he can feel in the middle of her.

And he hopes with all his heart that Jasper talks some sense into their Maker.

* * *

Jasper is on the phone, and only after yelling at the person on the other side, has he gotten Godric. “What is it?” is the no-nonsense voice of the King of Texas.

 

Frowning a little at the sound of his voice, Jasper asks, “Can you feel Eric and Bella?” Godric being short has sadly become the standard also.  Jasper is going to speak with Eric and see if he knows of a witch to be able to go and clean the nest, to see what the hell is going on.

Stopping for a moment on the paperwork that he had been working on, Godric frowns. “Of course, I do.” What type of question is that?  Godric would know if there was anything wrong with the bonds.

Jasper growls, getting tired of the attitudes he is getting today. “Stop, Godric.  I want you to search out the bonds and tell me what you feel.”  All this is making him suspect something is happening as the clues are piling up.

With that Godric sighs as he searches inside his soul for the bonds, but when he reaches for the comfort of the Mating or the makers bond, he feels nothing.  Growling in rage, “Make her open it!” He is mad at Eric, but he is old enough to earn the right to close the bonds.  But Bella?  She is his mate!  How dare she close the bond?!?  What has he done to make her want to shut it?

Is she that upset that he sent Jasper to her?

Blinking in shock at the rage he can hear from Godric, Jasper voices to him the information he has, “She has it open.  They both do.  But they feel nothing, Eric is feeling as lost as she is right now.” He can feel the two inside the room that he had left and how much they need the bonds with Godric open.

Jasper has been around other makers and their children, and none of them are even a tenth of close as Godric is with Eric and even Andrew.  Though Eric could have been freed from his Maker all, this time, he has no wish to do so.  In fact, Eric needs to be able to feel Godric as he feels Bella.  It soothes all three of them to be so close.

Closing his eyes as he tries to reign in his anger, hurt, sorrow for the loss of the bond that means so much to him, Godric listens to what Jasper just told him. “Witchery.” It is the only thing that could possibly do this.  And even then, to break a mating bond?  That frightens him to the point he needs Bella to stay with Eric where she would be safer.  This will be no ordinary witch.

Nodding as he agrees. Jasper conveys to him his thoughts, “Yes, sir.  I will ask Eric if he can feel anything else, but I think that the bond between him and Bella is Goddess Blessed, and not one someone can block in any way.  But something is going on.” He is feeling slightly better that this is something out of his knowledge, but at the same time, it just impresses that he needs to learn all he can in this new world.

Growling, Godric looks down at the paperwork on his desk then he asks, “Do I need to come?” He would be there in a second if needed, but right now he needs to keep both Eric and Bella safe.  He will look into things here without worrying that either of them may be caught in the crossfire.  Even without the bond, he still loves Bella with everything inside of him and only wants to protect her even more.

Shaking his head, “And the Godric, who I met, would never ask that.  Godric, what happened to you and Bella?” Jasper is baffled on what Godric could be thinking to even need to ask that.  The man he met would already be on his way.  Why is he asking him this?

Leaning back in the seat, Godric rubs his face. “I have no idea.  I felt her getting antsy, which is why I approved her leaving.  I know her impressions on marriage, but she has long agreed that a pledging is not the same idea. Not the pledging we are planning on.  Though, I do know she has been irate at Nan for trying to make a spectacle of it.” It bugs him that he had no idea anything was wrong. He just thought she needed to escape the media circus that has been going on lately.  Frankly he had been shocked it had taken that long.  And since she only wanted to go to Shreveport, there was no problem.

Thinking over what Godric is telling him, Jasper asked, “Why did neither of you say anything?  I had no idea that there were any issues at all with her and the pledging.  In fact, I didn’t know that there was anything wrong until that day you fought in front of Andrew.” He is puzzled on what was going through their minds.  Jasper worked closely with Godric and Andrew in running the state.  They had plans for Louisiana in the works for when they can move on it.  And the Goddess knows how many times the three had talked about issues with the ladies they are seeing or even how to get Bella to be in a better mood.  So what would have made this any different?

Turning in his chair to look out the window that gave them a perfect view of the sunsets, Godric sighs. “I have no idea, Jasper.  Nothing is making any sense, now that you are asking about it.  She felt so threatened that I had no idea what was happening until it blew up.  I fear that there is more afoot than we might know.” And this is why he is happy she is gone.  Hopefully, Eric and Jasper can keep her there where she will be safe while he looks into what could be going on here.

Turning to face the room he can feel the siblings in, Jasper asks, “And what do we do now?  Eric has met his mate, Peter has indicated that as long as Bella is here, their meetings will go better.  But if you can’t feel her, and all we have left is the bond between Eric and Bella, what happens if something manages to break that?  Should we come back?” He is running through the options in his head.  Right now, he is more the guardian than the 3rd in command of the state.  These two are family, and family is everything.

Shaking his head, Godric orders him. “No.  We need to catch whoever is doing this.  There cannot be anything giving away the fact that we are aware that something is going on.” And there is no way he wants Bella here as they look into this. She is safer where she is.

Agreeing with the idea, but not the execution, “Godric, while Eric and Bella have their bond, what of you?  If something happens to you what are we to do? With the bonds blocked on your end, how would we be able to find you?” Jasper can’t help but ask him the other worry he has with being away from his other charge.

Thinking about the possibilities, Godric finally tells him, “I will set up a phone system.  If you do not hear from Isabel or me, you are to believe the worst has happened.  And I _will_ call.  I need to make sure Bella is okay.  If I do not hear from you or Eric, I will be on my way to you as well.” It will allow all to relax some knowing they are all ok.  And this way he can let Eric know why he wants Bella to stay there.

Nodding in agreement, Jasper tells the man on the other end who has become a trusted confidant, “Be careful, Godric.  I am not liking this and not knowing what happened to Malice and Fuckward, I do not like this separation.”  He is worried this is another plan by the two messed up Cold Ones.

With that, the two agreed on a time and hung up.  Both worried about the other but knowing that they had to act like nothing is wrong.

For now.

* * *

**Final count, 4,534 words.**

**Fairfarren~**


End file.
